Jason, a man who wanted to avoid housing-related debt decided to build a studio apartment on wheels.
Jason lived in a large house with five roommates before he decided to go to grad school for urban design. He knew that this mid-career shift would require him to live in large cities with high living costs, so he found a way out to avoid the high rents.
Jason wanted a small, discreet mobile home where he felt safe. Craiglist found him a 2004 Ford E-350 box-truck.
The van measures 15 feet long and 8 feet wide. It also had the pass-through from cab to back already installed, giving the driver a nice loft space.
Jason did the majority of the work himself, but hired a friend to help with the design and more intricate parts. He wanted an apartment that looked like a truck on the outside, so it could be parked anywhere.
Calling it the “Stealth Studio,” Jason moved into the mobile van at the beginning of 2021. He is enjoying it so far because it allows his to live an urban lifestyle without the need for high-priced rentals.
Jason will typically park the van for up to seven days and then cycle around or take public transport within the city. He doesn’t drive the van constantly, so the truck’s slightly low gas mileage isn’t much of a dealbreaker.
Jason heats his truck by using the 12-gallon fuel container that is located under the rear section.
The van can produce 500 watts of sun power and 420 hours of lithium battery power.
A window allows him to get some natural light and enjoy the view outside when he’s in the mountains. Jason designed the window to resemble a vent because the vehicle was made for stealthy urban living.
A cargo door is located at the back of the truck, made from old panels from a roll up door. Jason can easily bring it down to convert it into a patio, or garage, with the push of a button.
On the truck’s passenger side is a 44-gallon gray water tank with skin and spray foam around it for protection. Jason has 55 gallons (or about 10 to 14 days) of freshwater.
Stealth Studio’s 125-square-foot loft can accommodate a full-size bed. There’s also a vent for airflow and built-in storage space to keep his clothes and other things. Instead of using a ladder to climb the loft, he set up a rock climbing setup.
The upper cabinets above the couch have an ebony stain. This contrasts beautifully with the white walls.
Under his bed is an open closet with a shoe rack. This is where Jason keeps his dress shirts and sport coats. Jason also placed his gadgets and cables in a separate box near the loft to keep them out the way.
Jason enjoys cooking a lot so he designed the kitchen to have lots of counter space and easy access for his most-used appliances. He also has an induction stovetop, a microwave, and a deep sink.
On the backside of the Stealth Studio is Jason’s workspace. It features a large desk that holds Jason’s laptop, keyboard, fan, and organizer.
Jason keeps a portable air conditioner on hand that he can run for a short time if he needs to cool the space.
The van also features a real shower and composting toilet.
Jason has a lot of flexibility with this apartment on wheels, and it keeps his expenses down.
“I learned that you have to figure out what your needs are and stay focused on that and then design your build around that. That’s the advantage of this lifestyle. Think about what are your goals what are you trying to accomplish, where do you want to be, and then build something that works for you,” he said.
Check out Jason’s fabulous Stealth Studio in the video below.
Jason can be followed on Instagram where he posts photos of his Stealth Studio van. Tiny House Giant Journey is another great place to find tiny home videos.
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